Workers threaten transport strike all over Khulna
Transport workers have threatened to intensify their strike by stopping all sorts of passenger vehicles' operation in Khulna division from this morning, if the driver and helper arrested in connection with a robbery are not released by then.
The transport strike has been enforced on a route between the southern districts and Dhaka since the afternoon of Tuesday, the day of their arrest.
Busses coming from the districts pass Faridpur and cross Padma river through Dauladia (Rajbari)-Patuaria (Manikganj) ferry ghats to reach the capital.
"We will stop operating passenger vehicles on all routes in districts of Khulna division from tomorrow [Friday] morning," Azizul Alam Mintu, president of Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Sramik Federation's Khula division unit, said yesterday.
Meanwhile, transport workers in Rajshahi division have expressed solidarity with the strike and would hold a meeting today to decide next course of action, said transport leaders of the division.
Around 3:00am Tuesday, a Benapole-bound bus of Sohag Paribahan was attacked by robbers at Maizkandi area in Faridpur.
After the robbers left, the driver, Ainal Hossain, took the bus to Madhukhali Police Station in the district to file a general diary in connection with the robbery, claimed Mintu.
But, police refused to take the GD and kept the driver, helper, Apu and passengers waiting for hours at the station. Suddenly around 8:30am, the driver was arrested for his alleged involvement with the robbery, added the transport leader.
Later, a passenger filed a case against the driver, helper and some unnamed people over the incident. Apu is now in Jail.
Talking to The Daily Star, officer-in-charge Ruhul Amin of Madhukhali Police Station said, "We have found the driver's involvement in the robbery. The passengers gave statements against him."
However, transport workers' leaders denied the allegation and claimed that police had arrested the two only to “harass” them.
"Our stance and demand is very clear. We will not operate vehicles until our driver and helper are released," said Osman Ali, general secretary of Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Sramik Federation, yesterday.
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